Historic stained-glass windows get new life

Ross White of Bovard Studio, Inc. breaks down scaffolding in front of a large stained glass window his crew finished at Drummondtown United Methodist Church in Accomac, Va. on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. A crew from the studio is fixing the church's stained glass windows and putting new glass covers on them.(Photo: Staff photo by Jay Diem)Buy Photo

While they received their first major overhaul since 1986, they remain true to their original design.

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A single stained glass window is missing from Drummondtown United Methodist Church as a crew from Bovard Studio, Inc. makes repairs on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. The crew from the studio is fixing the church's stained glass windows and putting new glass covers on them. This window was sent back tot he studios headquarters in Iowa for more extensive repairs.(Photo: Staff photo by Jay Diem)

That design is special, Turney added, because he thinks the windows are Tiffany-style, named for Louis Comfort Tiffany’s New York studio that operated in the early 20th century.

Inspired by Roman and Syrian glass, Tiffany’s designs often feature an intricate, artistic center panel with two supporting panels on either side, Turney said. The glass on Drummondtown church has three layers, lending depth to its artwork that is also characteristic of the style.

“Once you get into a window and see something that is a Tiffany-style, your nerves go through the roof,” Turney said.

When his crew removed the brace that was supporting Drummondtown’s large, bowed center panel, it was “a huge risk,” he said.

But now the panel is stronger than before and serves as the centerpiece for the church’s stained glass display, which will be illuminated at night for passersby to enjoy.

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A crew from Bovard Studio, Inc. recently made repairs to this large stained glass window at Drummondtown United Methodist Church in Accomac, Va. on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. A crew from the studio is fixing the church's stained glass windows and putting new glass covers on them.(Photo: Staff photo by Jay Diem)

In addition to restoring the windows, a major piece of the restoration project was removing the plastic covers that protected the windows for years— and obstructed outsiders’ views of the artwork.

Now, visitors will have a clear view through protective glass, which, according to numbers crunched by local NASA employees, should withstand hurricane-force winds, Turney said.

In addition to giving Drummondtown church’s stained glasses windows new life, the renovations will also save the church heating and cooling costs thanks to improved insolation, Greer said.

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A crew from Bovard Studio, Inc. recently made repairs to this large stained glass window at Drummondtown United Methodist Church in Accomac, Va. on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. A crew from the studio is fixing the church's stained glass windows and putting new glass covers on them.(Photo: Staff photo by Jay Diem)

A welder by trade, Turney joined Bovard Studio four years ago. He has worked in 43 of the 50 states since, spending summer days in Key West and surviving sub-zero conditions in his home state while doing the restorations.

Despite long hours and time on the road, he called his work “extremely rewarding.”

“My favorite part is the customer’s reaction when it’s finished,” Turney said.

Drummondtown United Methodist Church is not likely to need more work on its windows for a long time, he added.

“The goal is to never have to come back and touch it again,” Turney said. “It’ll outlast all of us.”